Coin-operated releasing mechanism.



G.P.BRAND. COIN OPERATED RELEASING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1906.

Patentd Jan. 12. 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET G. 1. BRAND.

COIN OPERATED RELEASING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 16, mos.

909,362, 7 Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. P. BRAND.

COIN OPERATED RELEASING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1906.

' 909,362, Patented Jan.12,1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3 GEORGE 1. BRAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOIN-GPERAEED RELEASING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Application filed January 16, 1906. Serial No. 296,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. BRAND, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of the Bronx, city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Releasing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to coin slot mechanism used for the purpose ofstarting automatic apparatus c any kind, particularly automatic playersor musical apparatus in which a coin is caused to impinge against a triplever arranged to release the driving mechanism.

The main object of my invention is to provide means whereby a pluralityof coins may be accommodated and supported in the coin chutesimultaneously, and be released successively and automatically one at atime at the end of each tune, turn or performance of the apparatus, sothat the o eration of the latter will be rendered pract1cally continuousuntil the supply of coins in the chute is exhausted.

The distinguishing feature of my invention consists in the use of acoin-releasing and check gate which in the act of freeing the lowestcoin in the chute, protrudes into the path of the next succee ing coinand sup orts it and those above it, if any, until suc checking gate isagain retracted or reopened by automatic means at the end of a tune orperformance, of a rescribed duration substantially as hereinafter setforth.

I herein show and describe my im rovements as applied to and incorporatewith the coin operated releasing mechanism set forth and claimedspecifically in my concurrent application No. 296,312 filed Jany. 16,1906, although I do not limit myself in this particular, since theessential features of my invention may be embodied in other forms ofpneumatic ap aratus the operation of which is controlle by a perforatedsheet passing over a tracker bar, the feature in the present case beingthe use of my special form of checking gate in conjunction with aretracting or re-setting pneuinatic operated from the tracker bar.

In the accompanying d awings, Fi ure 1, represents in sectional c vationan more or less diagrammatically par-ts essential to the practicalapplication of my invention, the parts being in their normal positionsat rest; and a coin shown in the act of passing through the checkinggate to fall upon the trip lever and release or start the mechanism bywhich the player or'other apparatus is driven, the power used in thepresent illustration being electrical. In Fig. 2, which is a likeview,the parts are shown at the instant that the trip lever is depressed, andelectrical connection established with the m0- tor, the check gatehaving been tripped by the coin just passed so as to protrude into thepath of, and support, succeeding coins in the raceway or receiving slot,while in h ig. 3, the parts are shown iin thepositions they assume 'ustafter the perforated sheet passin over t e tracker bar effected thedeflation o the Pneumatics, and the return of the arts to their normalositions; Big. 4, is a etail view showing t e terminals of the electriccircuit.

-It being understoodthat my improved coin releasing and checkingmechanism, may be controlled independently and directly from the trackerbar, and arranged to set in operation driving mechanism other than thatof using electricity as motive power, I will proceed to describe its usein connection with the power starting and stopping mechanism set forthin my concurrent a plication hereinbefore referred to, in whic A, A,represent two op osed terminals or contact plates having bi ing screwsa, a, by which electrical contact is established with the circuit wiresa, a, connected with the electric m0- tor (not shown) by which thepneumatic player or other apparatus is o erated when the circuit is comleted,that 1s to saywhen the switch lever is between the said contactplates A, A, as shown in all but Fig. 4, of the drawings. I

To the switch lever B is secured the U- shaped contact plate or bridgeI), for engagement with the inner surfaces of the terminal plates A, A.The switch lever B ispivotally supported at b, and is connected with aspring I)", which tends constantly to throw t e switch lever B, intoengagement with said terminal plates A, A. The said lever B is held opennormally against the resistance of the spring I)", by a latch C,ivotally supported at c, and formed with a s oulder c, for engagementwith the lower edge of the plate 11?, on the switch lever B, as shown inFig.1. The latch C is coupled to the trip lever D by a link rod or otherconnection d, said trip lever D being ivotally supported within the coinreceptac c F with its free end immediately below the coin chute e, sothat coin protruding in part into the said path. That dropping into thereceptacle F from the lower end of the chute e, will impinge upon theend of the trip lever-D and cause it to withdraw the latch fromengagement with the switch lever B, thereby releasing the latter andenabling the spring. b to close the electrical circuit through themedium of the bridge I), on said switch lever B.

The resistance to be overcome by the coin in order to trip the lever Dand withdraw the latch O is regulated by means of a retractile springa", and tension-adjusting screw 0 or by resort to any other well knownmechan- I ical expedient.

To the lower extermity of the switch lever B is pivoted acontact-breaking rod b*, which extends backward through a stationaryguide b and into the path of an arm or extension f, of the movablemember f, of the pneumatic F. The latter communicates through the port fwith the valve chamber g, in the valve chest G, said valve chamber g,being formed with two valve seats, one 9, opening into the atmosphere,and the other g opening into the central chamber 9 of the valve chest G,said central chamber 9 communicating in turn through the conduit g, withthe wind chest H which is con-. nected as usual with air exhaustmechanism, and with neumatics which actuate musicproducing devices. Thecentral chamber 9 also communicates through the duct g with the spaceabove the diaphragm g, in the diaphragm chamber 9 the space in saidchamber below the diaphragm communicating through a duct g*, with anopening t, in the tracker bar T. The diaphragm g, is formed with theusual bleed hole. A button h, resting upon the upper side of thediaphragm g", supports a valve rod h, carrying the valve 7L situatedwithin the valve chamber. g. It is obvious that the movement of themember f, of the pneumatic F may be utilized to operate a slide valve orequivalent mechanical expedient arranged to control a motive force otherthan electrical for the purpose of operating a suitable motor, with likeresults.

I, is a pneumatic the interior of which is connected by means of theduct 2', with the valve chamber g, in the chest G, so that it isnormally inflated. Agbainst an extension *5, of the movable menu I,bears the end of a slide 7', a spring 1', being interposed between saidslide 1', and a stationary part so as to tend constantly to maintaincontact-between said extension 6,, and the slide 7'.

L is the checking gate pivotally supported in the throat M, between thecoin race way or receiving slot N, and the coin chute e. The throat M iswide enough to accommodate the checking gate L m a position at er of thepneumatic is to say the ends Z, Z, of its concave surface Z protrudealternately into the path of the coins, the peripheral edges of whichfit into said concave, surface Z as they pass, and between it and theopposed stationary sur'' face m, of the throat M which opposed surfacem,.is concentric with the hinge or fulcrum Z of the check gate L. Thespace between this, stationary concentric surface m, and the concavesurface Z of the checking gate L, thus constitutes the actual throat orclearance for the. coin when the checking gate L, with a coin resting onsaid concave surface is rocked upon its fulcrum so as to carry the coininto coincidence with said concentric surface m. In other words, underthese conditions, the edge of the coin farthest from the pivot Zdescribes the arc of a circle concentric with said pivot Z and saidsurface m, so that the coin is free to drop from the gate L, as soon asthe lower point Z, of the latter is sufficiently retracted. As a matterof fact the points Z, and Z, are the essential parts of the gate L in sofar as its action with relation to the coin is concerned, since theconcave surface Z need not necessarily bear against the coin so long asit accommodates the edge of the latter between the said points Z and Z.

The coin race way or receiving slot N, is preferably formed with tworeversed inclines n and n, down which latter the coin rolls in thedirection indicated by the arrow at n, Fig. 1. Opposite the lower end ofthe incline n, and at a distance .therefrom greater than the diameter.of a coin, is the curved surface m, against which the descending coinimpinges and over which it rolls, thereby reversing its directionofrotation as indicated by the arrow at M, Fig. 1.

This is of importance, particularly, 'where the release of a coin intothe chute e, has set or tripped the checking gate L so that its 'upperpoint protrudes into the path of a succeeding com, as for instance inFig. 2, in which the reversal of rotation occasioned by contact with theconcave surface m, (causing said coin to rotate from right to left asindicated'by the arrow in said figure) tends to preserve and maintainthe desired and necessary position of the gate L, to the end that it mayact as a check and support for the coin, or coins until the gate isretracted or rocked backward by the slide 7', as hereinafter set forth.In other words, the checking gate L being pivotally supported only, andfree to adapt itself to a preponderance of weight or pressure in eitherdirection, might be forced backward by a coin rotating from left toright, or the direction shown at M, Fig. 1, if the periphery of saidcoin ha pened to encounter the point Z, of the gate 1E at the instantthat the preceding coin was released therefrom one side of the path ofthe coins, although i thereby opening the gate and allowing the nextsucceeding cointo pass, and so on, indefinitely, whereas by reversingthe direction of rotation of the coin by means of the concave surface m,the rotative force of the coin is utilized in closing the gate to itsfullest extent so that it will effectually support not only theparticular coin in contact with it but also any number of coins in thecoin runway above, as indicated in Fig. 2. From this position it istripped or opened by the reciprocation of the slide 7', acting againstits lower member I, as illustrated in Fig. 8, the retractile movement ofsaid slide 7', leaving the checking gate L in the position shown in saidfigure, and in Fig. 1, with its back resting against a suitable sto m,as for instance against the ad'acent wall of the throat M, as shown inthe rawings,

in which position the gate is open to receive the coin, since thedistance between itspoint Z and the beginning of the concentric curve m,coin, which settles into, the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so thatits weight and the weightof the coins resting upon it if any, isexerted, to again rock the gate L, into the position shown in Fig. 2,thereby releasing the coin and intercepting the next succeeding coin,and so on.

n operation, a coin thus dropped into the chute e, impinges against thetrip lever D, in its descent into the coin receptacle E as illustratedin Fig. 2, thereby causing said trip lever D, actin through the mediumof the connection ro d, to depress the latch C, suffit iently towithdraw the shoulder c, from the edge of the plate 6 Thus released, thelower arm of the switch lever B, under the action of the spring b actingupon its upper arm, is swung inward sufliciently to carry the U-shapedcontact bridge I), in between the terminal plates A, A, thereby comleting the electric circuit and starting the e ectric motor by which themusical apparatus is actuated. The playing is continuous and the partsremain in the same relative position as shown in Fig. 2, until aperforation s, in the music sheet S, comes into coincidence with theopening 15, in the tracker bar T. When this happens the air admittedthrough the duct 9 into the diaphragm chamber g, underneath thediaphragm g", raises the latter and thereby lifting the button it, valverod h, and valve 7H, and transferring said valve W, from the seat g tothe chamber g.- As a result communication to the atmosphere is closed sofar as the plneumatics F and I, are concerned, and at t e same timecommunication is established between the interior of the saidpneumatic-s F and I, and the wind chest H, through the medium of theport f duct 2', seat central chamber 9 and conduit g ,as Wlll be readilyunderstood by reference to Fig. 3. The consequent deflation of thepneumatic F causes the arm or extenexceeds the diameter of the -diapragm,

sion f, of its movable member f, acting upon the contact breaking rod'1), to push the switch lever C, back, carrying the bridge 6,

out of contact with theterminals, thereby breaking the circuit andstopping the motor, and also allowing the shoulder 0 on the spring latchC, to snap in behind the late 12- on the switch lever B, and lock theatter in its original position as shown in Figs. 1, 3. The deflation ofthe pneumatic I, occurs Si? multaneously with the above action, causingthe extension i, to push the slide 7', inward against the resistance ofthe spring y", thereby tri ping and opening the checking gate L, into te position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The, passage of the perforations 8,beyond the opening t, in the tracker bar obviously qliliickly againcloses communication between t e lower part of the diaphragm chamber andthe atmosphere, and the internal pressure bein soon e ualizedthrough thebleed in the t e lattelr allows the valve to return to its normalposition u on its seat g closing communication with tlie wind chest andthe pneumaticslfiF and I, restablishing communication between saidneumatics and the atmosphere, so that each pneumatic is again inflated,in the one case carrying the arm or extension f, away from the end ofthe contact making rod 1), and in the other case retracting theextension or arm i, the slide 1', following by reason of the pressure ofthe spring j, thus leaving the checking gate L, free to be tripped bythe next succeeding com.

In order that the checking gate L, may be set manually if desired forany reason, I provide as an auxiliary, a push rod 1 which may be pressedinward against the resistance of the spring p, so as to push the movablemember of the pneumatic I, inward and cause its extension 1;, to advancethe slide 1', to set the gate L as before described, the spring 1),retracting the pusher P, as soon as released by hand thereby allowingthe pneumatic I and slide 3', to assume their normal position.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, the combination ofa coin-receiving raceway adapted to receive a plurality of coins, apivotally su ported gate disposed wholly within sai raceway having meanswhereby it serves as an automatic check, and adapted to be rocked byactual contact with a passing coin so that a portion of said gate iscaused/to protrude into the ath of the next succeeding coin, a fixedstop or engagement by said gate to allow the coin to pass and.means-disconnected from. said gate for tripping and opening the same to,release the succeeding 00111.

2. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to accommodate a plurality of' coins, a

loosely pivoted glate disposed wholly within said raceway, aving .meanswhereby it serves as an automatic check and having a concave surfaceconformin to the peri hery of a coin, and means mova le indepen ently ofsaid gate for contact with the portion thereof below its pivot.

3. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to accommodate a plurality of coins, a loosely pivotedgate actuated. solely by direct contact of the coin therewith and havingmeans whereby it serves as an automatic check for checking the nextsucceeding coin, and means for actuating said gate: to return it to theposition it occupied before the passage of the coin.

4. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to accommodate a plurality of coins, a loosely pivotedgate having a concave portion within said raceway having means wherebyit serves as an automatic check and a portion depending below its pivot,and pneumatic means for engagement with said depending portion tovactuate the gate in a direction opposite to that in which it is actuatedby direct contact of the coin therewith.

5. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to accommodate a plurality of coins, a loosely pivotedgate having a concave portion within said raceway having 'means wherebyit serves as an automatic check and a portion depending below its pivot,pneumatic means for engagement wit said depending portion to actuate thegate in a direction opposite to that in which it is actuated by directcontact of the coin there with, and manual means cooperating with saidpneumatic means.

, 6. Incoin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to receive a plurality of coins, a loose y pivotedautomatic checking gate havingwithin said raceway a depressed upper faceto directly receive the periphery of a coin,

with one point for reversing the position and the other for protrudinginto the path of the succeeding coin, and means for moving said gateinto the position opposite that in which it is thrown by the weight ofthe coin.

7. In coin slot mechanism of the character described, a coin-receivingraceway adapted to receive a plurality of coins, a loosely pivotedautomatic checking gate having upon that portion within the racewaytwoseparated points one for engagement of the coin to tilt the gate torelease the coin and the-other for protrudance into the path of the nextsucceeding coin and neumatically operated means disconnected rom saidgate and slidingly mounted for engagement with theportion of said gateprojecting below its pivot.

8. In coin slot mechanism of the character designated, the combinationwith a coin chute and trip lever interposed in the path of the coinbelow said chute and arranged to release or start automatic apparatus,of a pivotally sup orted checking gate above saidchute adapted to berocked by a passing coin so as to protrude into the path of a succeedincoin, a coin receiving race way above sai checking gate adapted toaccommodate a plurality of coins, and means for re-setting said checkinggate, consisting-of a slide held normally retracted by a spring, and apneumatic controlled by a perforated sheet passing over a tracker barand arranged to actuate said setting slide against the resistance ofsaid retractile spring for the purpose described.

9. In coin slot mechanism of the character designated, the combinationof a coin receivraceway adapted to accommodate a plura ity of coins, apivotally supported automatic checking gate, said checking gate beingformed and adapted to be rocked by actual contact with a passing coin sothat a portion of the checking gate is caused to protrude into the pathof the next succeeding coin, and pneumatic means controlled by aperforated music sheet passing over a tracker bar for trippin andopening the checking gate to release t e succeeding coins,

for the purpose described.

10. In C0111 slot mechanism of the character designated, the combinationof a coin receiv-. in raceway adapted to accommodate a plura ity ofcoins, a pivotally suppdrted automatlc checking gate, said checking gatebeing formed and adapted to be rocked by actual contact with a passingcoin so that a portion of the checking gate is caused to protrude intothe path of the next succeed- 1ngcoin, dpneumatic means controlled by aerforate music sheet passing over a tracker ar for automatically triping the checking ate to release the succee ing coins, and aux- 1 iarymeans for trip ing and opening. said checking gate manua y, for thepurpose described.

GEORGE P; BRAND.

I Witnesses:

D. W. GARDNER, Gno. WM. Mm'r'r.

